Feeding device for locomotive tenders



L. RICHARDSON. FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDERS.

APPUCATION FILED JULY 13,1920. 126,675, Patented Au 22, 1922.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. RICHARDSON.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDERS. APPLICATION FILED JULY l3,1920.

1 42 75 Patented Aug. 22, 19 22.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

LAWRENCE RICHARDSON, O3 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDERS.

' T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lewnnnon RICHARD- soN, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, ha e invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Feeding Devices for Locomotive Tenders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in a locomotive tender coal pit. 1

It has been proposed in the prior art to provide a locomotive tender coal pit adapted to feed coal by gravity to a shovel space, which gravity feed is augmented by the vibration of the tender. These constructions have been used to prevent coal, when the same becomes moist, from accumulating in back of the tender with the idea of always insuring a supply of coal in a space accessible to the fireman. These structures have been recognized by those skilled in the art as being decidedly troublesome and objectionable inasmuch as the vibration of the tender is not sufficient to cause an ample supply of coal to be fed to the shovel pit at all times, especially where the coal is in adecidedly moist condition and little or no material vibration is encountered. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide a locomotive tender coal pit with means for positively feeding coal, regardless of its condition, to a shovel pit from which it is removed and introduced to the locomotive firebox. In carrying out the invention, a positive means of driving power is employed for feeding the coal over the sloping wall of the pit and into a relatively wide coalpocket extending transversely of the tender and lying in a plane below the sloping wall.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a construction in which the feed wall of the tender is perforated near one end to permit fine coal to pass therethrough when being moved over the inclined wall and deposit at the rear, of the shovel pit, while the larger particles of coal are carried over the inclined wall by the positive feed to the for ward part of the pit. This is highly desirable inasmuch as it enables the finer coal to be segregated from the coarser lumps. It is appreciated by those skilled in this art that Where the fine coal is scattered promiscuously within the furnace, the draft has a tendency to carry these particles in suspen- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, MP/32.

1920. Serial No. 395,992.

sion through the stack where thev are lost. It will therefore be seen that the pi'esent construction enables the coarser coal separated from, the fine slack to be deposited "by the fireman 1n the locomotive firebox at the desired point while the finer particles collected in the rear portion of the coal pocket may be placed in the rear portion of the fire bOlY so as to prevent the same from being discharged through the stack in a green condition. 7

The invention further comprehends a locomotive tender pit, wherein the feeding conveyor is driven by a power device. preferably using compressed air or steam from the locomotive as a source of power supply, and under the instant control of the operator, so

that the desired quantities of coal can be fed to the shovel pit from time to time as the 'oc c-asion may require, irrespective of the vi-.

bration of the tender or the condition of the coal contained therein.

In the V accompanying drawings I have shown a specific embodiment of the invention for the purpose of illustration. but. it will of course be understood that this disclosure is subject to many modifications without departing from the spirit of the inven tion. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a 'detaillongitudinal vertical section of the tender, partly in elevation showing the feeding de-, vice and shovelling space. V

Figure 2 is a detail plan view showing the coal-advancing means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the body of a locomotive tender which is of the conventional type having the usual wheels, the rear portion of the tender constituting a water reservoir, while the forward portion thereof is adapted to receive coal or like fuel. The forward portion of the tender is provided with an inclined surface 2, terminating near one end in a right angular extension 3 from which a relatively straight portion at projects to the forward part of the tender.

Spaced from the surface 2 is the inclined or sloping wall 5, which extends from a point beyond the upper surface 2 of the tender 1, to a point in advance of the portion 3 of the tender and constitutes a bed upon which the coal in the tender rests. At each end of the bed are journaled suitable sprockets 7 and 8, receiving chains 9, to

which are attached suitable conveyors 10 disposed between the chains and extending entirely across the wall or bed 5. The con veyors are moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1, through the medium of a motor 11, preferably driven by compressed air or the like, and of any convenient type. Air is introduced to the motor through the teed pipe 12 leading from the engine or other suitable source of sup ply and is controlled by the hand manipu lated valve 18 which is located at a point accessible to an operator so that the come} or may be placed in operation whenever desired. It will be understood that much Cll'llliftllily has heretofore been experienced in the use of locomotive tenders due to the fact that when the supply of coal becomes rather low, or the coal is thoroughly saturated with water, the same will not freely feed down the inclined wall to a shovel pit. The coal has a tendency to adhere to the surface of the wall and pack in a relatively solid mass which has been the source of much labor and trouble to "locomotivefirer men. This coal at times becomes exceedingly hard, and requires much force to move the same.

The present invention aims to provide a positive means for feeding the coal'over the wall down into theunderc'ut shovel pit 14; located beneath the wall 5 and constituting a coal receivingpocket which is of a relatively large capacity and fromwhere the coal is removed by the firemen to be deposited inthe engine. This coal is positively fed upon the actuation of the con veyor passing downwardly over the inclined surface 5, and when coal is passed over the lowerport'ion otthis surfacathe exceedingly fine particles dropthrough the apertures 15"disposed within that portion of the surface extendingabove the coal pocket 14 so that the fine coal is collected in the rear portion of the pocket." The larger coal of course is carried by the'conveyor. beyond the forward end of the surface 5 and is there deposited within the coal pocket 14 so that the coal is not only fed'by the construction disclosed in the present invention, but is also classified and the finer particles sepa rated from the coarser particles. This is highly desirable inasmuch as when fine particles of coal are indiscriminately thrown into a'furnace a great dealof thefine coal is entrained and carried away by the drafts passing out through the locomotive. stack, especially where such fine coal is deposited in the firebox at apoint of high draft. In the present invention, the fireman is per- .mittedv to remove the larger particles of coal and place them where desiredin the firebox, after which he is enabled to get the fine coal which may be used for banking the fire, or may be deposited in the rear portion of the fire box where the air draft is not very heavy. I

When in operation the conveyor is placed in. actuation by the imanipulation of the hand lever 13 and coal is continuously fed to the relatively long coal pocket existing substantially the entire distance across the tender. This operation of the conveyor is continued until the coal pocket is filled, whereupon the hand lever 13 is actuated to discontinue the operation of the conyevor. When the supply in the coal pocketbegins to diminish it is, of course only necessary to acuate the hand lever to feed an additional supply of coal to the pocket and it will be appreciatedthat when followingthis invention, the coal pocket'is always main tained sufiiciently full of coal regardless of the wet or moist condition thereof,-or the vibration of thetender which experience has feed coal to the pocket under all conditions. In the accompanying drawings 1' have disclosed the conveyor as to be operated by an air motor. but it will be appreciated that. other sources of power may be employed wherever tound desirable, and that thetype' Having thusdescribed my invention, what,

coal supporting surface, a. shovel pit at the,

forward end of said surface disposed below the coal supporting surface and accessible to permit coal to be manually removed therefrom, and mechanical ineansladjacent said surface for positively, feeding coal to the shovel pit. I r i 3. A locomotive tender coal pit having a coal supporting wall, and an undercut shovel" pit at the forward end. thereof, a conveyor for feeding coal oversaid wall to said undercut shovel pit, and power means for actuating said conveyor. I

' 1. A locomotive tender coal pit having an inclined wall upon'which coal is supported, and an undercut shovel pit disposed be: neath said wall, aconveyor passing over the wall, and means for positively operating pit. Y p 5. Alocomotive tender coal pit having an inclined coal'surface and an undercut shovel space extending belowi'saictsurface, said surface projecting: over a portion of the shovel space and having an aperture there;

said conveyor to feed coal to said shovel demonstrated is not sufiicient to eiiiciently in for the passage of fine particles of coal therethrough into the shovel space, While larger particles of the coal pass over said surface and around the end thereof into the shovel pit.

6. A locomotive tender coal pit having an inclined coal surface and an undercut shovel space extending below said surface, said surface projecting over a portion of the shovel space and having an aperture therein for the passage of fine particles of coal therethrough into the shovel space, While larger particles of the coal pass over said surface and around the end thereof into the shovel pit, in combination with means for v positively feeding said coal to the shovel pit.

7. A locomotive tender coal pit having a coal supporting Wall and an undercut shovel pit at the forward end thereof, and means for feeding coal over said Well to said un dercut shovel pit.

8. A locomotive tender coal pit having an inclined Wall upon Which coal is supported and an undercut shovel pit disposed beneath said Wall, mechanical means adjacent said Wall for feeding coal thereover to the shovel. pit, and a power device for actuating said mechanical means.

9. A locomotive tender adapted to receive a supply of coal and having a shovel pit at one end thereof accessible from the tender apron permitting the coal to be manually transferred from said shovel pit, and means movable relative to the tender for augmenting the gravity feed of the coal from the tender to the shovel pit.

10. A locomotive tender adapted to receive a supply of coal and having a shovel pit at one end thereof accessible from the tender apron permitting the coal to be manually transferred from said shovel pit, movable means for positively shifting the coal from said tender to the pit and a power device for actuating said means.

11. A locomotive tender pit having a coal supporting surface and an undercut shovel space below said surface at one end thereof, said surface projecting over a portion of said shovel space and having an aperture therein for the passage of fine particles of coal passing over said surface into the shovel pit, While larger particles of coal are caused to pass beyond the opening and around the end of said surface into the shovel pit.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

LA WRENCE RICHARDSON. 

